Not applicable.
The present invention relates to portable washstands in general, and to washstands which have an associated water supply and water collection housing in particular.
There are many circumstances where it is desirable or necessary to wash one""s hands at a location which is far from running water. In the commercial world, construction sites, remote temporary facilities, farms, orchards, and agricultural facilities are all locations where the limited time of the employment or the variability of location may make permanent sanitary facilities impractical or uneconomical. In the provision of entertainment such as at sporting events, fairs, concerts, and special events, there also will be a need to provide facilities for washing hands, sometimes for many thousands of people, but only for a few days a year. In these circumstances the expense of constructing plumbed facilities is simply not justified. The solution widely adopted is the short term installation of portable toilets and washstands. These devices have fresh water and waste receptacles which are enclosed within the unit and do not connect to any outside water supply or sewerage system.
In order to produce a facility which is lightweight and durable, portable washstands have been fabricated of molded plastic. The plastic washstand can be molded in any desired shape, and hence canxe2x80x94with a few partsxe2x80x94provide multiple functions. Moreover, the plastic washstand is not susceptible to rust, requires no painting, and is waterproof. However, in order to extend the period of functionality of a stand-alone washstand it is necessary to provide significant volume for storage of fresh and waste water. Yet the manufacture of large plastic parts can be expensive, both in the design and manufacture of the molds, and in the actual fabrication of the finished parts. Some portable washstands have reduced the total volume required by combining in a single vessel freshwater and wastewater separated by a flexible membrane. Although this design approach is acceptable, it would be desirable to separate freshwater and wastewater as much as possible. Moreover, different applications may require different washstand features. An industrial application may need to be rugged, but may not require ornamentation; a entertainment application may need to resist vandalism, yet have an attractive appearance. Maintaining a variety of different washstands in inventory can add to a distributor""s costs.
What is needed is an economical portable washstand which limits the need to manufacture large specialized molded plastic parts, which is durable, and which is configurable to different needs.
The portable washstand of this invention has a core module or central column which contains the water pumps, spouts, and connecting conduits. The central column is rigid and durable, and has fasteners for releasibly attaching one or more water receptacles. The fasteners may be in the form of flexible bands or straps which form loops which encircle conventional plastic barrels or drums. The loops are clamped to restrain the barrels, allowing them to serve as the receptacles for the freshwater and the soiled or greywater. By fabricating parts which are readily assembled to conventional drums, the receptacle cost is minimized. This is particularly the case when expendable previously used drum shipping containers, of essentially no value, may be used. The central column extends upwardly from a platform which rests on a molded plastic base. In a two station washstand, the central column has two sets of flexible metal straps, an upper and a lower strap extending outwardly on each side of the column. Adjustable fasteners in the central column apply tension to the straps to retain the two drums in an upright orientation. The open tops of the drums are covered by a molded plastic countertop which has formed therein two washbasins. Each washbasin has a water spout and a foot operated pump. The pumps are associated with a water supply tube which extends into one of the drums which constitutes the freshwater receptacle. The wash stations are drained into the other drum which constitutes the waste water receptacle. The two spouts may be formed as integral parts of the stainless steel central column to resist vandalism. For decorative purposes, a molded front panel extends between the countertop and the base, and together with a sheet rear panel encloses the two drums. Paper towel and soap dispensers may be connected to the central column. For a single wash basin assembly, the same central column, although with only one spout, may be connected with a different countertop and base, with the single drum having a membrane dividing fresh water from waste water. In a similar fashion other assemblies may be constituted employing one or more common parts. For example, the decorative skirt may be omitted in industrial and agricultural applications.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a washstand which can be assembled from modular components about a central core module to permit economical modification of the washstand to suit different needs.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a low cost portable washstand which incorporates conventional plastic drums as water containers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a washstand which is economically transported and may be assembled with locally available parts.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portable wash station which is readily modified in its appearance to suit different occasions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sturdy portable washstand which is readily supplied with preloaded containers of water.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a washstand which is readily disassembled into component parts for compact shipping to and from the site of use.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.